Posts Tagged ‘Tom Peters’

I heard Tom Peters proclaim this, without the question mark, in early 1996 while attending a conference in town. It was intriguing and thought provoking. When you’re a thought leader and helping launch a new magazine called Fast Company (2nd issue), you can say things like that. His point was to hire people that are different, even very different than you. On the surface it sounds like an interesting idea.

In my last post I talked about “surface-level” diversity, which refers to observable differences. In contrast, “deep-level” diversity refers to attributes that are less obvious but can be inferred over time after more direct experience. My simple personal model encompasses the following categories in descending order: thinking style, personality, and beliefs and values. Unlike observable differences, the negative effects of these differences appear to increase over time.

Arguing about how to do something (task conflict) is usually the result of competing thinking styles, frames of reference, and past experiences. If managed well, this conflict can result in a better way to do to things.

Not getting along is a different matter. Personality conflicts, clashes, incompatibility, whatever you want to call it, is much more difficult to manage. Relationship conflicts can create more severe problems and ultimately result in reduced effectiveness.

Seldom is there a simple explanation for conflict. Throw in beliefs and values and things can really heat up. Next time you have a meeting; try using some of these topics for icebreakers: politics, religion, capital punishment, or abortion.

People naturally avoid stress and anxiety (not to mention fear), especially leaders. That’s why Rosabeth M. Kanter stated in Men and Women of the Organization that leaders create other leaders in their own image.

Tim Cook and Steve Jobs

Do organizations really want deep differences? If you consider that most organizations have a set of corporate values they want people to adhere to, the answer becomes more obvious. The phrase “organizational fit” is even more revealing. If deep differences were really desirable, the phrase “fit” wouldn’t exist.

Okay Tom Peters. I’m sorry to say that while telling people to hire other people who scare them is provocative, in practice, it‘s unrealistic, impractical, and really kind of scary.